What's a "Bojra"?
The meaning behind my newsletter and publication Rubina's Bojra.
I was a child when I heard first heard the word "bojra."
"What is a bojra, mummy?" I asked.
"It's a boat. Actually, a yacht," my mother continued, "Back in the day, Rabindranath Tagore had one."
"Why did he need a yacht?" I was curious now.
"He used to spend his days on that yacht writing, painting, entertaining guests. He was rich, so he could afford it."
Spending all day on a yacht writing? That would be a dream come true for me!
"Mummy, when I grow up, I'll have a bojra of my own." I declared.
My mother, smiling at my innocence, nodded her head.
India has 121 languages, and one of them is Bengali. The word "bojra" comes from there. It's translation to English would be a barge.
But in Nobel prize-winning poet Rabindranath Tagore's case, it was "a houseboat with living and dining spaces." He would spend his time on the bojra writing poems, plays, and journals, while his servants would take care of his basic needs. It looks to me that Mr. Tagore had the perfect setting to be and flourish as a writer. I must say, he was a lucky man.
Does this mean I want a yacht with servants? Pff, no. It would be cool, but I am fine. For me, bojra holds an entirely different meaning.
Bojra stands for the means for me to write and make a living writing.
It is a means to share my work with others — helping them be inspired and entertained.
It is a way to live a decent life in alignment with my dreams.
Bojra is a metaphor for my ideal life and my legacy.
Bojra is my North Star.
I believe one should always have a North Star. It keeps the flame of hope burning.
So welcome to my metaphorical yacht, Rubina's Bojra - a place where I am trying to make my dream of becoming a writer and author come true.
Rubina's Bojra is a place where I share essays about living a creative life as a writer.
This is also a place where I help lost, confused, frustrated writers connect with their writer soul and enjoy every writing session.
I hope you'll join me and enjoy our sail together.
If you'd like to know more about Tagore's Bojra and Tagore himself, you can follow the links below.
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1913/tagore/biographical/